Electrical meat cooker



Feb. 24, 1942. H. F. cRAMER 2,274,190

ELECTRICAL MEAT COGKER Filed Oct. 2l, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet l 6 e9 Vlg 5567 5654K (199 o /n vento/v 55 Haro/d Cra/77er' /6 K ,e v

@Harney Feb. 24, 1942. H. F. cRAMER ELECTRICAL MEAT COOKER Filed oct.2i, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 /h rentar.- /70/'0/0/ Cramer Va/wey PatentedFeb. 24, 1942 rUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRICAL MEAT coomm -HaroldF. Cramer, Denver, Colo. Application october 21, '1940, serial No.362,075

(ci. 21e-35) 7 Claims.

Thisinvention relates to improvements ,in electrical meat cookers andhas reference more particularly to a high temperature cooking apparatusdesigned with special reference to the needs of lunch rooms and placeswhere steak arfi meat sandwiches are'prepared.

It has been found by experiment that it is possible to thoroughly cook asteak of ordinary thickness in the short time of between twenty andthirty seconds by exposing the steak simultaneously on all sides to atemperature of between 1700 and 2000 degrees Fahrenheit. By subjectingsteaks' or other meats suddenly and over their entire surfaces to suchhigh temperature the outer surface becomes seared and sealed so as toretain the juices and the action of this high temperature on the cellsand fibrils of the meat have the unexpected result of tenderizing eventhe tougher cuts and to produce a tender and juicy steak from cuts thatwould otherwise be unsatisfactory. i

It is the object of this invention to produce an apparatus of moderatesize that shall be provided with an electrically heated munie whosetemperature can be raised to and maintained at at least 1700 degreesFahrenheit, and which shall also be provided with a grid mounted forreciprocation into and out of the muiile and which is held in the muiileby means of a detent which is released by a time responsive mechanismwhich can be set so as to release the grid at the expiration of apredetermined number of se'conds and which therefore 'renders the timingautomatic and prevents over cooking which might readily occur if thegrid were to be operated manually. y

Another object of this invention is to produce a high temperature cookerin which a hollow muille of refractory material is positioned in ahousing and surrounded by heat insulating material and in which themunie can be readily removed for repair and inspection.

Another object is to produce an automatic electrical meat cooker inwhich the entrance to theimuflie is automatically closed by the movementof the grid into and out of the operative position so as to conserve theheat when the grid is outside of the munie and to retain the heat duringthe cooking operation.l

The above and any other objects that may become apparent as thisdescription proceeds are attained by means of a construction and anarrangement of parts that will now be described in detail and for thispurpose reference will be invention has been illustrated in itspreferred form, and in which: l

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the apparatus forming the subject ofthis invention;

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view looking in the direction of arrow 3, inFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a section on a somewhat enlarged scale, taken on line 4 4,Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a section taken on line 5-5, Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a section taken on line 6-E, Figure 5, and shows a detail ofthe construction; and

Figure 7 is aview showing in a diagrammatic manner a. time responsivemechanism for controlling the detent.

Referring now to the drawings, reference numeral i0 designates a tramewhich forms the base of the apparatus. `This frame is rectangular asshown in Figure 3 and is formed from a flat metal bar. Positioned ateach corner of the frame are short angle iron supports il that serve tohold the frame above the supporting surface which has been designated byreference numeral l2.l Extending across the frame at its center is afiat bar I 3 that serves as a support for the time responsive mechanismwhich has been indicated by reference numeral il in Figure 3. Tubularguides i5 connect the side member of the frame and extend Aentirelythrough the latter. These guides are held in position by means ofcollars I6. Supported on the frame is a housing` constructed from sheetmetal and providedwith ends I1, a top il, a bottom i9, a front side 20and a rear side 2i. Chromium plated angle irons 22 have been shown asextending around the corneredges of the housing so as to give the lattera finished appearance. The housing is o f such size and shape that itwill nt in the trame i0 in the manner shown in Figures 4 and 5 and canbe readily removed from had to the accompanying drawings in which'theOpening is a munie cOnStructed from a high grade refractory materialsuchas sillimanite but any other high grade refractory material may besubstituted if desired. The munie has been designated by referencenumeral 28 and in the present embodiment has been shown as provided withrounded ends 29. IThe muille is shorter than the distance between thesides 2l and 2| and a. block of heat insulating material Il extends fromthe inner end of the muiile to the plate 3| which closes an opening inthe side wall 2| and which is secured to the latter by means of screws32. The outer surface oi the muille is provided with a helical groove 33in which is wound a high resistance heating element which,

for the purpose of this disclosure may be nichrome, but any otherresistance material hav-r ing the necessary physical characteristics'maybe substituted. Conductors 34 connect the ends of the resistance elementvwith a junction box or plug outlet 35 where they are connected with theends of an extension cord 38 which may be connected to a suitable sourceof electrical energy. The side 2li is provided with an opening somewhatsmaller than opening 21 and positioned in this opening is a bushing 31which is made from high grade refractory material such as sillimanite,handle 4l. A pivot pin 40 extends through the ears 41 and the upper endof the handle so that the latter may turn about this pivot. The upperend of the handle is provided with a stop surface Il which engages thebar 42 and limits clockwise movement to the position shown in Figure 4.-The lower end oi the handle is curved inwardly and terminates in anenlarged head f ployed in connection with one of the bars 4| The bushinghas a flange 38 that extends outwardly beyond the side 20 and serves todeflect any heat which escapes from the muilie in a direction to preventit from coming in contact with the side 2U and spoiling its iinfish. Theopening in the bushing 31 is someeach other in minor particulars towhich reference will be hereinafter made. One of the straight sides ofeach member 4| is slidably mounted in a guide I5 and the other straightside extends through. the opening in the collar 31 and into the muiliein the manner shown in Figure 4. A metal bar 42 connects the twostraight sides of the supporting bars and is preferably joined to thelatter by welding. The inner ends of the parts of bars 4| that projectinto the munie are connected by a refractory plate which is preferablymade from sillimanite or Isome equally high grade refractory material.This' plate is heldin place by means of collars 43. Aplate 44 which isalso made from a high grade refractory material is' slidably mounted onthe Vsupporting bars and is acted upon by springs 45 which tends to urgeit inwardly. Extending between tpe two straight sides of bars 4| arerods 46, which serve as a support for the meat or other material to becooked. These rods have their endsextending into openings in thesupporting bars and are loosely connected with the latter in such a waythat they can moveflongitudinally but are of sufficient length toprevent them from falling out. Bysupporting the rods 46 loosely in themanner indicated, no strains are set up when the temperature of the gridchanges as would be the case' if thes rods were welded or otherwiserigidly secured to the supportinglbars. The connecting bar 42 isprovided with two spaced ears 41 between which is pivotally mounted abut each bar may be engaged by a separate spring, if desired.

Referring now more particularly to Figures 3, 6 and 7, it will beobserved that one of the guides l5 is. provided with two detents each ofwhich consists of a tubular casting i4 which is split along one sidewhere lugs 5l are provided. These lugs are perforated for the receptionof clamping screws B I which secure them in position on the guide.l Eachcasting is provided with a raised portion l1 and an opening 58. A springl! is secured to the raised portion by means of a screw. 60. A pawl orlug4 8| is secured to the spring 5I by any suitable means, such as ascrew i2 and this-pawl projects inwardly and extends through an opening63 provided in the guide I5. The straight side of member. 4| which isslidable in this guide is also provided with an opening which, has beendesignated by reference numeral 34. When the U-shaped members 4| aremoved inwardly so as to compress the spring I2, the opening 64 will bebrought into register with the opening i3 and the pawl 4| will move intothe opening 84 and hold the member 4| from moving outwardly in responseto the` action of spring 52. lBy flexing the spring is downwardly fromthe position shown in Figure 6, the pawl can be withdrawn from openingwhereupon the spring will function to move the member 4| outwardly. Inorder to Ilimit the outward movement of the grid assembly comprising theU- shaped members 4|, a'seoond detent has been provided as shown inFigure 6. When the opening 44 arrives at a position oppositethe openingIl, the pawl 6| will enter opening and limit they will serve as stopsonly when the members moved inwardly.

4| move outwardly, but will be moved into inoperative position when thegrid assembly is For the purpose of releasing the grid assembly at theend of the predetermined period of time.A la time responsive mechanismhas been provided.,

This mechanism has been indicated in a genwith the other elements ofthis invention.

In Figure 7 the time responsive mechanism has been shown in a more orless diagrammatic manner and in this view a rack 66 is mountedforreciprocation in a bearing 61. The rack is provided with a collar 68 andis attached thereto by means of a set screw or other means. A helicalspring 69 is held in compression between the bearing 61 and the collar68 and tends to move the rack towards the right. When the rack is movedtowards the left as in Figure 7, it turns a gear wheel 10, which ismounted on a shaft 1I, A ratchet mechanism 12 permits the gear wheel toturn freely in a counterclockwise direction, but when the pressure onthe pawl is released, the spring 69 moves it towards the right, therebycausing the gear 10 to rotate and this in turn rotates an escapementwheel 13 whose rate of rotation is restricted by the escapementmechanism 14. It will be apparent that the time it takes the rack toreturn to its original position will depend upon the distance it wasmoved inwardly, since the rate of return is controlled by the escapementabove described.

A lever 15 is pivoted at 16 and has one end curved upwardly asdesignated by reference nurneral` 11. A roller 18 is attached to therack and when this rolleris in position to engage the under surface oflever 15, it will hold it in the position shown in Figure 7, but whenthe rack is moved towards the left, it releases the lever l and permitsthe latter to turn freely about its pivot. The free end of lever 15 isconnected with the end of spring 59 by means of a connecting rod 19 andthe parts are so arranged that when the roller 18 is in the positionshown the spring 59 will be exed into the position shown in therighthand detent in Figure 6, thereupon releasing the grid assembly andpermitting the spring 52 ,to move it towards the right so as to bringthe grid out of the munie. The rack 66 has an extension B0 which extendsthrough the frame member ill, as shown in Figure 4, and the outer end ofthis extension is threaded for the reception of an elongated nut 8|.This nut is so positioned that it will be engaged by the head 5I on thehandle 48 when the grid assembly is moved inwardly and this serves tomove the rack towards the left and to bring the time responsivemechanism into operative position. The inner end of nut 8| serves asastopvand by adjusting this nut on the threaded end 80, the time it takesthe clock mechanism to return to inoperative position can be adjusted.

Operation The apparatus above described is employed in the followingmanner. The muiiie is rst brought to the desired temperature by means ofan electric current flowing through the heating element. During thispreliminary heating the grid, which ls shown partly within and partlywithout the is usually constructed of such a size that four muflle, inFigure 4, is withdrawn until the plate l 40 engages the shoulder 39.Plate 40 serves to limit the amount of heat that escapes and after themunie has attained the desired temperature, the meat to be cooked ispositioned on the rods 46 after which ,the operator grasps handle 48 andmoves the grid assembly inwardly until the lug or pawl 6I engages theopening 64 where separate steaks can be cooked at once, but the size ofthe grid can obviously be modified without modifying the construction ofthe machine, which is therefore independent of the actual size of thegrid or of any vother parts thereof.

If the muie is to be removed for repairs or for any other purpose, plate3| is rst removed,

i after which the heat insulating block 30, together with mufile can beremoved through the opening in plate 2|. After the required repairs orreplacements have been made, the mufiie and insulating block can beinserted and retained in operative position by the plate 3i.

Particular attention is directed to the construction of the grid whichprevents severe strains to be set up by the rods 46 duringtemperaturechanges to which the grid is subjected.

Attention is further directed to the means for closing the entrance tothe mufile whenever the grid is in either one of its extreme positions.In the present embodiment this closing means are formed by plates 4l)and 44 but it is evident that other equivalent means can be devisedwhich, however, must be responsive to movement of the grid assembly insuch a way as to close the exit from the muflle whenever the gridreaches either one of its extreme positions. i

Having described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. In a cooking apparatus having an electrically heated muffle, a basehaving spaced guides, a grid positioned to vbe moved into and out of themuiile, the grid comprising bars slidably connected with the guides, theends of the bars that enter the muiiles havingwattached thereto spacedrods, spring means connected with one bar and its cooperating guide, thespring being tensioned to move the grid out of the mufiie, detent meanscarried by the guide for latching the grid in pointo and out of themuiile, spring means associated with the grid for moving it out of themuflie, a stop associated with the grid and the housing for limiting itsoutward movement, detent means associated with the grid for holding itin operative position in the muiile and a time responsive mechanismoperatively connected with'the detent for moving it to inoperativeposition after the lapse of a predetermined time.

3. An electric oven comprising, in combination, a muille of refractorymaterial, an electric heater element surrounding the same, a layer ofheat insulating material enclosing the mule and heating element, ahousing enclosing the muflle assembly, spaced guides secured to thehousing in parallel relation with the axis of the muiile v sembly forurging it in a direction to withdraw the grid from the munie, a detentmechanism carried by the housing for holding the grid element within themunie in opposition to the action of the spring and a time responsivemechanism for releasing th`e detent to permit the spring to function andwithdraw the grid from the munie.

4. A cooking apparatus comprising a frame, a housing positioned thereon,a heat insulated electrically heated munie in the housing, one end ofthe muiiie opening through one side of the housing, two spaced guidescarried by the frame in parallel relation to the mume, a bar slidablyconnected with each guide, a grid carried by the bars in position tomove into and out of the mufiie when the bars reciprocate in the guides,means operatively connected with the grid assembly for' exerting a forcethereon tending to move the grid outwardly in the munie, a detentmechanism carried by one guide for engaging the corresponding bar forhoming the gmc in position in munie, a time responsive device carriedbythe frame and operatively connected with the detent for releasing thelatter after the elapse o! a predetermined time whereby -the bar and thegrid can move in response to the biasing force, a stop for'limiting theextent'of the outward movement, a refractory. closure member carried bythe inner end of the grid, said member being of a size and shape tosubstantially fill the opening in the muiile whereby it will close theouter end of the munie when the grid is withdrawn, means comprising aplate of refractory material carried by the grid assembly for closingthe entrance to the muiile when the grid is in position therein, andmeans responsive to the movement ofthe grid for moving said plate intoand out of muilie closing position.

5. lA cooking apparatus comprising a frame, a housing positionedthereon, a refractory muiile in the housing, an electric heating elementsurrounding the munie. heat insulating material separating the muniefrom the housing, two spaced parallel guides secured to the base,U-shaped bars having one side slidably mounted in each guide, the otherends of the bars extending into the muflie, rods connecting the lastnamed ends to form a grid, the inner ends of the bars forming the gridhaving attached thereto a plate o1' refractory material of a size andshape to ntthe inside of the munie, said plate forming a closure for theouter end of the munie when the grid is in its outermost position, arefractory closure plate slidably attached to the grid bars in positionto close the munie-,when the grid is in its the closure plate towardsthe munie, means comprising a spring operatively connected with one theof the U-shaped bars for urging the grid to move out of the munie, adetent mechanism attached to one guide for engaging the correspondingrod and holding it stationary in opposition to the action of the spring,time responsive means carried by the frame and operatively connectedwith the detent for releasing the latter, and means for moving the timeresponsive means to operative position when the grid is moved into themunie.

6. A mechanism for use with an automatic high temperature meat cooker,comprising a frame, two tubular guides secured to the frame, in

' spaced parallel relation, a grid assembly comprising two U-shapedbars, means for intercon-l necting the bars `to hold them in spacedparallel relation, one side of each bar being slidably mounted in aguide, the other opposed sides oi' the bars having a plurality of spacedrods attached thereto to form a grid, a spring associated `with one 0fthe guides and one bar for exerting thereon a force tending to move itin one direction, stop means on the guide for limiting the movement otthe bar in response to the action of the spring, a detent mechanismcarried by the guide for holding the bar inopposition to the spring, atime responsive mechanism carried by the trame, said mechanismcomprising a rack having one end extending through an .opening in theframe, spring means for urging the rack outwardly, and means carried bythe grid assembly for 6118881118 the outer end of the rack for moving itinwardly' when the grid assembly is moved inwardly t9 latching position,said means having a lost motidn connection with the grid assembly.

7. A'inechanism for use with an automatic high temperature meat cooker,comprising a frame, two tubular guides secured to the frame in spacedparallel relation, a grid assembly comprising two U-shaped bars, meansfor interconnecting the bars to hold them in spaced parallel relation,one side of each bar being slidably mounted in a guide, the otheropposed sides of the bars having atplurality of spaced rods attachedthereto to form a grid, a spring associated with one of the guides'andone bar for exerting thereon a force tending to move it in onedirection, stop means on the guide for limiting the movement of the blu'in response to the action of the spring, a detent mechanism' carried bythe guide for holding the bar in opposition to the spring, a timeresponsive mechanism carried by the frame, said mechanism comprising arack having one end when the grid assembly is moved inwardly to latchingposition, said means having a lost motion Aconnection with the gridassembly, and

means tor adjusting the extent of the reciprocainnermost position,resilient means for urging 'I l tion of the rack to vary the time.

HARQLD F. CRAMER.

